


Le Moose-bouche

by AbschaumNo1



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Restaurant, Chef!Jonny, Coming of Age, Established Relationship, M/M, Paris - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-24 07:09:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17096102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbschaumNo1/pseuds/AbschaumNo1
Summary: Jonny quits hockey, becomes a chef and moves to Paris. Patrick is  with him every step of the way.(Spin off of Let's Take On The World Together but can be read as a standalone.)





	Le Moose-bouche

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Let's Take On The World Together](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16708933) by [AbschaumNo1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AbschaumNo1/pseuds/AbschaumNo1). 



> Hellooooo!  
> So almost a year ago I went to Paris with thundersquall and one day we had dinner at this Canadian place called The Moose. And well, obviously I had to do something with it eventually. Jonny and Kaner appear as the owners of The Moose in my cyclist!Seabs fic Let's Take On The World Together already, but you don't have to have read that to understand this.
> 
> And yes, the title is a pun on "amuse-bouche".
> 
> Anyways. A very happy birthday to thundersquall and an early Merry Christmas!

When Jonny decides to quit hockey it doesn't exactly come as a surprise. Not to Patrick at least. He's known Jonny since they were thirteen; has been in love with him only a few years less. They've talked about this, about them and what them being together meant for the hockey part of their lives. And Patrick, Patrick gets Jonny like no one does, he's known that he was building up to something for a while. Since Patrick himself quit hockey probably, though if he's honest Patrick isn't quite sure about that part.

So when Jonny calls him and says, “I'm not going to North Dakota” he's not surprised at all when the next words out of Jonny's mouth are “Actually I'm done with hockey.”

“Okay,” he says, “so what's the plan?”

There’s a silence on the other end of the line and then Jonny says, “I'm not sure yet. I might try culinary school? I'm still figuring it out.”

“Okay.”

“It's just...I don't think I can do hockey and us. And I'd rather pick you than hockey.”

Patrick has to smile. It's not like Jonny has to explain this, they've been together for a while now, and the question of how their relationship might affect either of their hockey careers has come up a couple of times. Patrick had gotten the easy out in the end, had been able to put it all on his size, even though he knew that he could have had a chance, that he had the talent. But Jonny had been reluctant to leave hockey behind. And really, Patrick gets it, hockey had been their life for years, and it's tough to admit that it's not meant to happen for them.

So Jonny moves to Montreal and goes to culinary school, while Patrick does college at home in Buffalo. It's a good thing as well, since it's way closer than Winnipeg was and Patrick knows that Jonny struggles. He's been there; it's tough to readjust after hockey has taken up so much of their lives. He wants to hate hockey a little for doing this to Jonny, but he knows he can't. He's tried before, after he stopped playing, and it has never worked out for him. Hockey didn't work out but it still gave him the best thing in his life and he wouldn't change it for anything.

And Jonny is Jonny; he throws himself into anything he does with every ounce of determination in his body. It shows in how quickly he excels at culinary school and how hard he works for it. When he reaches the top of his class, Patrick kind of bursts with pride, and then he proceeds to blow Jonny's mind with the best blowjob ever, because it's the least Jonny deserves.

“So they've told me I should try to apply for school in France,” Jonny says one day. They’re in Jonny's room in Montreal, a few days after his birthday, and he’s all quiet and still, pliant in Patrick's arms.

“France, yeah?” Patrick says.

“Yeah. It's supposed to be one of the best schools in the world. They think I've got the talent.”

“Then you should go.” Patrick doesn't hesitate. France is even further away than Winnipeg, and he already hates that. But if Jonny can do this Patrick's going to support him all the way. He gave up hockey because he knew Jonny was  _ it _ for him, he's not going to let this get between them.

“I'd be so far away from you.”

“We will manage. We're solid Jonny; you going to France isn't going to change that. We've been prepared for something like this forever, who knows where we'd have ended up if we had stuck with hockey, it's the same difference.”

Jonny smiled softly. “Okay, yeah, I'll try.”

Jonny gets accepted into school in Paris in June. He doesn't have to leave for France until September, so Patrick goes up to Montreal to help him move. They spend a couple of days in Buffalo after and then they go on a road trip to Winnipeg. There's only so much time left so they try to make the most of it.

Jonny's mom is lenient with them this year, and lets them off the hook most of the time. And by the time Patrick leaves to go back to Buffalo he has a plan forming in his mind.

So Jonny leaves for France and Patrick stays behind. The time zones suck, and Patrick feels like he's aching almost physically with how much he misses Jonny some days, but they make it work. They email and call each other on Skype and Jonny tries to share as many of his experiences with Patrick as he can.

And Patrick, Patrick starts quietly to learn about what it takes to manage a restaurant and how to speak French. He swears everyone to absolute secrecy about both of these, because he wants it to be a surprise for Jonny. Andree helps with the French a little. They talk on the phone when they can to catch up and to help Patrick practice. He and Jonny have been so close for so long that Patrick knows Andrew is as proud of his progress as she would be of that of her own sons.

And thanks to both their families he gets to visit Jonny in Paris the summer before he starts his last year at college. Paris is beautiful and Patrick falls in love a little, he thinks. They do all the touristy stuff and have amazing food, and it's only a few weeks, but Patrick gets why Jonny likes living here.

Jonny surprises him with a trip to the Mediterranean and they spend a few days lounging by the sea before Patrick has to leave again.

They don't talk about the future. Jonny's got two years of school in Paris left and Patrick has just the one, but he knows Jonny well enough to realise that he likes France. It’s just as well, because that means Patrick can start the second part of his plan.

Patrick's last year of college goes by in a chaotic blur of getting everything in order for graduation, applying for jobs and preparing for life after college. If Jonny realises how vague he's being about that last part, he doesn't mention it, and Patrick is not going to risk jinxing anything before he's sure it's all gonna work out as planned.

Jonny manages to come to Buffalo for Patrick’s graduation, and the day before the ceremony Patrick takes him out for dinner and breaks his news.

They're waiting for their desserts when Patrick says, “So I know I've been a bit vague about what's next for me.”

Jonny nods. “I've been wondering about that,” he admits. “But I figured you'd yell me if there was any news.”

“Yeah well, I've been working on something and I didn't want to tell you before I was sure it's working out.”

He takes the email he had printed out before Jonny even arrived in Buffalo out of his pocket and hands it over.

Jonny raises an eyebrow at him but he folds it open and reads.

“Patrick,” he says when he's done. “This is…” And then he starts grinning. “That's amazing.”

“I've got everything in order already. I just need to figure out what I'm taking along and then I'm good to go.” Patrick smiles.

Jonny's smile is brilliant and he reaches over to take Patrick's hand in his.

“I'm so proud of you,” he says, all fierce. “And this is such a huge step.”

Patrick smiles and squeezes back. “It's nothing you haven't done.”

But Jonny looks at him as if he can't quite believe how amazing Patrick is, and damn if that doesn't do all kinds of things to Patrick's insides.

There's graduation and another trip to Winnipeg, where Andree tells him how proud she is and Jonny gets to hear Patrick speak French for the first time (and proceeds to space out a little to Patrick's endless amusement.) And then Jonny has to go back to France, because he actually has a part time job to help pay the bills. They kiss long and hard before Jonny walks through airport security and it's only easier this time because they know they're going to see each other again in a few weeks.

Patrick uses his last weeks in Buffalo to spend as much time with his family as he can. As much as he's looking forward to living in the same city as Jonny, he's going to miss them. He spends hours watching movies with his sisters and helping his mom out and trying to pack in between. He didn't even realise how much shit he owns until he has to narrow it down to as few bags as possible for the flight.

He's not too proud to admit that he's crying when he says goodbye to his family at the airport. His sisters all promise to visit and his mom gives him a long hug.

“I'm so proud of you,” she tells him. “Never forget.”

“I won't,” he promises.

His dad loses fewer words, but he hugs Patrick tightly and tells him he's proud.

And then Patrick already goes through security and he's finally on his way to Paris.

He crashes with Jonny and his flatmate Pierre while he looks for an apartment. Pierre turns out to be great help, because he rules out a few of the listings before Patrick even considers looking at them, simply based on location. In the end Patrick finds something not too far from Jonny's and Pierre's place, and just in time too, because he starts his job the Monday after he moves in.

He works at a big restaurant and they start him out doing anything and everything that's needed so he can get a feel for the place. He has to do his fair share of customer service, but he has done and it doesn't take long for him to realise that he likes his job.

Things with Jonny are solid, if a bit bumpy occasionally. Patrick doesn't worry about it, they've always had their arguments and this is their first time living close enough together to see each other almost constantly. Patrick's sure of Jonny and he knows Jonny's sure of him as well and they never argue for long before they make up again.

Patrick's French gets better every day, and while he misses Buffalo and his family like hell some days, Jonny is always there to cheer him up and to cook his favourite comfort food for him (and Patrick would never say it out loud, but Jonny's Mac’n’Cheese may be even better than the one Patrick's mom makes).

Jonny finishes school top of his class, because he's an overachiever like that, and finds a job and things are good, really good.

Both of their families come to Paris for Jonny's graduation. It's fun because they get to show everyone around and Patrick gets to laugh at his sisters getting confused on the Metro. It's something he doesn't even think about all that much anymore most days, but he remembers his own confusion when he first moved here.

They settle into their new routines over the next few months. With both of them working full time, Jonny starts making noises about moving in together. Patrick rolls his eyes and talks to his landlady and by Christmas Jonny is officially living with Patrick.

For his 26th birthday Patrick presents Jonny with a plan. They've both been in Paris for a few years now and it's clear that neither of them really wants to move away any time soon. And if they're going to be living here for the time being they might as well start thinking long-term, Patrick wagers.

His boss is the one who gives him the idea actually. He likes Patrick, and he's always made sure he knows that he's doing a good job.

Jacques sits down with him one day and asks, “Have you ever thought about what you want to do with your future?”

Patrick gives him a surprised look. “Not much, no,” he admits shit a shrug. “I haven't quite gotten there yet.”

“Don't tell me you were planning to do this for the rest if hour life until retirement.” Jacques gestures at Patrick's desk.

“I wasn't.” Patrick laughs. “When I came here I was more focussed on settling in and then Jonny got his job and things just seemed to go well. He wanted to gather some experience and well, we're still young.

“Listen Patrick. I've watched your work and you're good at this. I'd hate to lose you, but I think you should aim higher. And I've tasted your boyfriend's cooking, he should too.”

Patrick leans back in his chair. “Did I ever tell you that I switched majors when Jonny came here? Because I looked at him and I knew that he had found the thing he was good at and I knew I wanted to be able to support him as much as I could. So no, I wasn't planning on doing this for the rest of my life. At least not working for someone else. I've just been waiting for Jonny to be ready for the next step.”

Jacques nods. “But that doesn't mean you can't plan ahead yet. Think about it. You don't have to have a plan fully worked out, but you should at least have an idea if what to expect and what you'll have to do.”

“Okay,” Patrick says, and that's it, he starts planning.

What he presents to Jonny for his birthday is the groundwork, the basic idea and business plan, all drafted so he can rewrite with any input Jonny has.

Jonny reads it, and when he's done he looks at Patrick and says, “You've put a lot of thought into this already.”

Patrick shrugs. “Jacques encouraged me to start thinking about it now. Having a plan doesn't mean we have to realise it immediately, it just means we've got something when we're ready.”

“Okay,” Jonny says with a smile. “I'll think about it, eh?”

“You do that.” Patrick smiles back and he knows they're good.

Jonny does think about it. A few days later Patrick finds the documents strewn over their kitchen table, Jonny's notes in the margins. He smiles and once he has warmed up dinner he settles in to read Jonny's thoughts.

They spend the better part of the year throwing around ideas and working out the kinks, and then they spend another couple of months getting everything in order to the point where they have moved things along enough to give up their jobs.

They still have busy times ahead before they can open, with setting everything up and finding enough staff, but they can see their restaurant taking form and god it feels good to look at it and realise that soon enough they'll be welcoming their first guests.

The day before their grand opening in late summer is busy with preparations. Jonny has a kitchen to get into order, and Patrick spends most of the day doing a last rundown with the service staff and sorting out organisational things. Everything else is done, all the decorations are up, all the tables in place and the bar is stocked.

When everyone is gone Jonny and Patrick sit down at the bar and have a beer together. The main room and the name are all Patrick's with some mild input from Jonny; the menu and drinks are mostly Jonny. It's a good mix of the two of them Patrick thinks, and now they just have to see if it works out the way they hope it will.

They smile at each other.

“I guess this is it,” Jonny says.

“This is it.”

Jonny raises his bottle. “We're gonna fill this place up,” he says decidedly, and Patrick grins.

“To ‘The Moose’,” he says, raising his own bottle.

“To ‘The Moose’,” Jonny agrees.

They clink their bottles together, but before Patrick can raise his own to his lips, Jonny leans in and gives him a kiss.

“To us,” he says, and all Patrick can do is laugh.

“To us,” he says.


End file.
